Restore residential nature of Khilgaon

Bapa President Prof Muzaffer Ahmad speaks at a consultation meeting on Khilgaon residential area at the National Press Club in the city yesterday. On his right are Monir Hossain Khan and Mostofa Jamal Haider and on his left is Sharif Jamil.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a consultation meeting yesterday called on the government to take steps to restore the residential nature of Khilgaon area in the city by demolishing illegal structures in the area.
They also urged the government to free Chowdhurypara Children's Park from illegal occupation and to cancel the housing project for government officials in the area.
They also called for taking appropriate measures to improve the services of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), Wasa (Water and Sewerage Authorities), Desa (Dhaka Electric Supply Authority), Titas Gas and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in the area.
Khilgaon Samajik Sangstha and Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) jointly organised the meeting on the environment of Khilgaon residential area at the National Press Club.
Speaking as the chief guest, Bapa President Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said the problems of Khilgaon residential area are similar to the problems in all other areas in the capital.
The authorities should take up a comprehensive plan to develop urban areas, he said, adding that Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) had many plans but those could not be implemented due to political reasons in the past.
"I do not think Rajuk can effectively carry out development initiatives in the city and at the same time play the role of a regulating body," he said. "There should be two separate entities for performing these two functions," he added.
Talking about DCC, he said, "DCC has 90 wards. All its wards should be regrouped to form 40 individual and autonomous municipalities and the DCC would only play the coordinating role."
He also criticised the unplanned construction of high-rise buildings in the city.
President of Khilgaon Samajik Sangstha Monir Hossain Khan, General Secretary Md Hafizur Rahman Moina, Prof Anu Muhammad, Sharif Jamil, Mahidul Huq Khan and Fakir Alamgir also spoke.